3D Printing Filament Cost Calculator: Cost Per Gram, Per Print and What to Charge
How to calculate filament cost per gram and per print, including purge waste, failed prints, machine time and electricity, with worked examples and a price you can charge.
In this guide
Filament is the easiest part of a 3D print to cost, and the part most people get slightly wrong. The weight in your slicer is not the whole story. Multi-color purge, supports, failed prints and machine time all add up. This guide shows how to work out filament cost per gram and per print, then turn it into a price that pays for your printer.
- Filament cost per gram = spool price ÷ spool weight in grams. A $20 1 kg spool is $0.02 per gram.
- Cost per print = grams used (including supports and purge) x cost per gram, plus 5% to 10% for failed prints.
- Add machine time at about $0.25 to $0.50 per print hour to cover wear, parts and electricity.
- In the example below, a 42 g phone stand costs $5.72 to make and sells for about $9.
Why slicer weight is not your real filament cost
Your slicer reports grams for the model and supports, but not the filament you waste. Multi-color prints can purge as much filament as the part itself. Every failed print, test print and first-layer redo also uses filament you can't sell.
Filament is also only part of the cost. A long print ties up your printer for hours, wears out nozzles and belts, and uses power. A price based on grams alone undercharges every slow print.
The steps
1. Find your cost per gram
Divide what you paid for the spool, including shipping, by its weight in grams. Most spools are 1,000 g. A $24.99 spool with $3 shipping is $27.99 ÷ 1,000 = $0.028 per gram.
2. Get grams from your slicer
Use the total including supports, rafts and brims. For multi-color prints, add the purge or prime tower grams. Some slicers show this separately, so check the breakdown.
3. Add a waste allowance
Add 5% to 10% for failed prints, tests and spool ends. If you print a lot of new designs, use the higher end.
4. Add machine time
Divide your printer cost plus expected repairs by the hours you expect it to run. A $600 printer with $200 in parts over 2,500 hours is about $0.32 an hour. Power adds a few cents an hour. Many sellers use $0.25 to $0.50 per print hour in total.
5. Add your time, overhead and profit
Count hands-on time only: slicing, plate removal, support cleanup and packing. Add overhead, profit and fees just like any other product.
Worked example: three prints
PLA at $20 per kg ($0.02 per gram), PETG at $22 per kg, $20 an hour hands-on time, 10% overhead, 30% profit and 10% fees. Print times are 2.5, 9 and 3 hours.
| Phone stand (42 g PLA) | Planter (180 g PETG) | 4 keychains, multi-color | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Filament | $0.84 | $3.96 | $0.70 |
| Purge, supports and 10% waste | $0.08 | $0.40 | $1.20 |
| Machine time at $0.35/hr | $0.88 | $3.15 | $1.05 |
| Packaging | $0.40 | $0.90 | $1.20 |
| Labor at $20.00/hr | 0.15 hr = $3.00 | 0.25 hr = $5.00 | 0.3 hr = $6.00 |
| Overhead (10%) | $0.52 | $1.34 | $1.02 |
| Cost to make | $5.72 | $14.75 | $11.17 |
| Plus 30% profit | $7.44 | $19.18 | $14.51 |
| Cover 10% selling fees (divide by 0.90) | $8.26 | $21.31 | $16.13 |
| Suggested price | $9 | $22 | $17 |
Look at the keychains. The purge filament costs more than the keychains themselves. Multi-color prints should always be priced with the purge included, or printed in batches so one purge serves more parts.
Filament cost per gram by spool price
| Spool price (1 kg) | Cost per gram | 50 g print | 200 g print |
|---|---|---|---|
| $15 | $0.015 | $0.75 | $3.00 |
| $20 | $0.020 | $1.00 | $4.00 |
| $25 | $0.025 | $1.25 | $5.00 |
| $35 (specialty) | $0.035 | $1.75 | $7.00 |
| $50 (engineering) | $0.050 | $2.50 | $10.00 |
Silk, wood-fill, glow and engineering filaments cost more per gram. Keep a separate cost for each material you use.
What you keep on each sales channel
The same planter at $22.00 leaves different money in your pocket depending on where it sells. This uses the $14.75 cost to make from the example above, with Etsy's current transaction, processing and listing fees and Square's in-person card rate. Shipping, sales tax and ads are left out.
| Where it sells | Buyer pays | Fees | You keep | Profit over cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Etsy (6.5% + 3% + $0.25 + $0.20 listing) | $22.00 | $2.54 | $19.46 | $4.71 |
| Your own website (about 2.9% + $0.30) | $22.00 | $0.94 | $21.06 | $6.31 |
| Craft fair, card reader (2.6% + $0.15) | $22.00 | $0.72 | $21.28 | $6.53 |
| Craft fair, cash | $22.00 | $0.00 | $22.00 | $7.25 |
| Wholesale to a shop (50% of retail) | $11.00 | $0.00 | $11.00 | -$3.75 |
On Etsy, fees take about 12% of a $22.00 sale. If a sale comes through Etsy Offsite Ads, add another 15% (12% for shops over $10,000 a year), so build that into your price if you're enrolled. Wholesale at half of retail loses $3.75 per piece here. Either raise retail, lower your cost, or set a separate wholesale price with a case minimum.
Bulk and custom order pricing
For a batch order of 50 logo keychains, model changes, test print and plate setup takes about 0.75 hr at $20.00/hr. Charge that once per order, then spread it across the pieces. Materials are $0.90 per piece and hands-on time is 3 minutes. Overhead is 10%, profit 30%, and 3% covers card or invoice fees.
| Quantity | Setup share per piece | Cost per piece | Price per piece | Order total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $15.00 | $18.59 | $24.91 | $24.91 |
| 10 | $1.50 | $3.74 | $5.01 | $50.12 |
| 25 | $0.60 | $2.75 | $3.69 | $92.14 |
| 50 | $0.30 | $2.42 | $3.24 | $162.16 |
The price per piece falls from $24.91 to $3.24 because the setup is shared, not because you cut your rate. Quote the tier the customer actually orders, ask for a 50% deposit before you buy blanks, and set a minimum order size for custom work.
Filament costing checklist
- Cost per gram from your real spool price plus shipping.
- Slicer grams including supports, brims and purge.
- 5% to 10% for failed and test prints.
- Machine time per print hour.
- Hands-on time for cleanup and packing.
- Overhead, profit and fees before rounding.
- A separate cost for each filament type.
Cost any FDM print in minutes
Type your spool price, grams, print time and hands-on time into the peach cells. The calculator shows the real cost and a suggested price.
Get the FDM 3D Print Cost CalculatorCalculators that help
- Multi-color prints: Include purge and color changes in the cost. Use the Multi-Color / AMS 3D Print Cost Calculator – Purge Waste & Color Changes.
- Machine hourly cost: Work out your printer cost per hour. Use the 3D Printer Depreciation & Machine Hourly Rate Calculator.
- Quote a job: Turn a print into a customer quote. Use the 3D Printing Quote Generator – Custom Job Quotes, Tiers & Deposits.
- Compare spool prices: Compare suppliers by cost per gram. Use the Price per Unit Converter & Supplier Comparison – Compare Yards vs Meters, Ounces vs Grams & More.
Common questions
How do I calculate filament cost per gram?
Divide the spool price, including shipping, by the spool weight in grams. A $20 spool of 1,000 g is $0.02 per gram.
How much does filament cost per print?
Multiply the grams used, including supports and purge, by your cost per gram, then add 5% to 10% for waste. A 42 g PLA print at $0.02 per gram is about $0.84 of filament before waste.
Does multi-color printing cost more?
Yes. Each color change purges filament. On small parts, purge can weigh more than the part. Print several parts per plate so one set of purges covers more pieces.
How much electricity does a 3D printer use?
Many hobby printers average about 100 to 150 watts while printing. At 17 cents per kWh, that is roughly 2 to 3 cents an hour, so wear and parts cost more than power.
What should I charge for a 3D print?
Add filament, waste, machine time, hands-on time, overhead and profit, then cover fees. In this guide a 42 g phone stand prices at about $9 and a 180 g planter at about $22.
Should I charge more for PETG or specialty filament?
Yes, because it costs more per gram and often prints slower. Keep a cost per gram for each material.
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